Time and space froze.

Hu Li's figure, just moments from teleporting to the Sakura Country, was suddenly pulled back to Dongli University by an irresistible force. The Teleportation Array crumbled, piece by piece.

"No!!!"

Hu Li's eyes were bloodshot.

Even the most common instant movement formation or scroll was incredibly expensive. This Teleportation Jade Pendant was a one-of-a-kind treasure unearthed from ancient ruins, capable of spanning a vast distance of 2,000 kilometers.

It was so pricey that it could bankrupt a Great Demon!

By all rights, it should have been impossible for anyone to interrupt such a spiritual treasure during its teleportation, yet it began to fall apart at a single snap of Xu Lai's fingers.

Heartache, fear, and dread washed over him all at once.

"CRACK—"

A crisp sound rang in Hu Li's ear. His complexion turned deathly pale in an instant, and he tried in vain to dive back into the formation.

"Master, save me!!!" Hu Li screamed with all his might through the disintegrating array.

Across the vast distance, a cold voice traveled from two thousand kilometers away. "Who dares to kill a disciple of Orochi!"

"It's Xu Lai!"

As soon as Hu Li uttered the name, the formation completely collapsed. The Teleportation Jade Pendant, now covered with a dense network of cracks, was clearly useless.

"Orochi?" Xu Lai frowned slightly. Who's that now?

"Yes, my master is the Demon King of the Sakura Country, Orochi," Hu Li said, his composure slowly returning as he grit his teeth. "If you dare to kill me, you are a dead man!"

"Never heard of him," Xu Lai scoffed.

"The Demon King Orochi!" Hu Li exclaimed in shock. "He is a terrifying existence that even the Gods in the high heavens are helpless against, and you... you've actually never heard of him?"

As for Cultivator Boundaries, anyone below a Quasi-Emperor was but an ant. Xu Lai simply couldn't be bothered to pay attention to such beings.

"Actually, this is all a misunderstanding. As long as you let me go, I will persuade my master not to pursue the matter of She Jiu's death," Hu Li said, his eyes flickering as he watched Xu Lai warily. "After all, even though you managed to break the Teleportation Jade Pendant, I still have trump cards I haven't used. Why don't we both take a step back? We can part on good terms and avoid further trouble. How about it?"

However, deep within his eyes, a thick murderous intent still lurked.

This damned human. How dare he break my Teleportation Array. He... He has to die!

"You know," Xu Lai said, looking deeply at Hu Li, "I really hate being lied to."

Hu Li's heart skipped a beat.

For some reason, he had the distinct feeling that Xu Lai's gaze had seen right through him. Just as he was about to speak, Xu Lai flicked a finger.

A bloody hole appeared in Hu Li's forehead.

He reached up to touch it, his eyes widening as he stared at the fresh blood on his fingertips. He couldn't believe Xu Lai had actually dared to make a move.

He was the disciple of a Demon King!

But as Hu Li's corpse disintegrated into a cloud of dust that scattered in the wind, it was all over.

Xu Lai walked back to the school infirmary and resumed reading his geography magazine.

「Two thousand kilometers away, inside an active volcano in the Sakura Country.」

A burly, middle-aged man furiously smashed the cup in his hand. He had a bizarre appearance, with eight heads whose twisted features were contorted in rage.

The middle-aged man roared, "She Jiu! Hu Li!!!"

They were the two he favored most among all his disciples, yet both had died at the hands of the same person.

"Master, please calm your anger." An old woman in a white kimono knelt on the ground, her face pale with fear.

"Whoever dared to kill my disciples, I will ensure he has no place to be buried!" the middle-aged man said in a chilling tone. "We're going to the Hua Country!"

He was Orochi. He had wreaked havoc across the Sakura Country for ages and had never suffered such humiliation. If he couldn't repay a blood debt with blood, how could he maintain his standing?

"But Master, Demon Kings are not allowed to cross the borders..." the old woman in the kimono said cautiously.

"Damn that agreement!" Orochi's gaze was bone-chillingly cold.

Demon King. This was the pinnacle of the Demon Race's cultivation Boundary, a level of terrifying power that was enough to attract the attention of the Earth Heavenly Dao. To avoid being expelled or sealed by the Heavenly Dao, the Demon Kings had all made a Daoist Vow not to leave their respective territories. This meant no crossing borders, so as to avoid unnecessary conflict.

Violators were to be hunted and killed by any other demon.

"However, Master, the Hua Country's forbidden land, Mount Zijin, is set to open in one month," the old woman said in a low voice as she kowtowed.

"Another hundred years have passed..." All sixteen of Orochi's eyes revealed a hint of reminiscence. He spoke each word slowly, "Then I shall wait one month!"

...

"Brother-in-law, please, I'm begging you!"

"Brother-in-law, you've got to help us out!"

"Brother-in-law, you're the best brother-in-law in the world! You can't just stand by and watch us suffer!"

When Xu Lai returned to the infirmary, he was immediately surrounded.

To be precise, he was surrounded by his sister-in-law, Ruan Lan, and her two good friends, Yu Xiaoxiao and Li Li. The three girls stared at him with teary eyes, their posture making it clear they wouldn't leave unless he agreed.

"It's not that I won't teach you. It's that you're all terrible," Xu Lai said helplessly.

The reason Ruan Lan and her friends were pestering him was simple: Go.

The three of them wanted to hire Xu Lai as a consultant for their Go Club. Their proposed salary was one dinner.

The "University Go Competition" was starting the next day, and Dongli University had been the runner-up for ten consecutive years. To make matters worse, they had gotten into an argument just a few days ago with Xiao Yu, the star player of the East Sea University Go Club. Ruan Lan had nearly ended up having to go dance at Dong University because of a bet, and there was no way she could swallow that humiliation.

As the competition drew near, Ruan Lan had no choice but to come and seek guidance from Xu Lai.

"Brother-in-law, I know one dinner isn't enough to sway you. I have something else for you," Ruan Lan said seriously.

Xu Lai looked at her with slight disdain. "It's not you, is it?"

What?! The gift isn't me, but what's so bad about me? How dare my stinky brother-in-law show such disdain!

Just as Ruan Lan was about to retort, Yu Xiaoxiao and Li Li grabbed her arm. "Ruan Lan," they urged, "think about the bigger picture!"

Ruan Lan's irritation vanished instantly. She grinned and said, "Brother-in-law, I'll trade you my sister's secrets."

"I'm listening," Xu Lai said, his interest piqued.

"You don't know my sister's measurements, do you? And besides eating and liking stars, you don't know any of her other hobbies, right?" Ruan Lan said with an air of mystery. "Well, I know all of it!"

"I could just ask her myself." Xu Lai's gaze returned to his geography magazine.

Ruan Lan paused, then lowered her voice. "My sister has a date tonight. With a man."

Xu Lai raised an eyebrow, about to ask for more.

BUZZ... BUZZ... BUZZ...

His phone vibrated.

Xu Lai glanced at the screen. It was a text from Ruan Tang with a simple message:

"Not coming home for dinner tonight."

"Brother-in-law, stay strong." Yu Xiaoxiao and Li Li peeked over his shoulder at the phone screen and patted his arm in sympathy.

"If you want to live a peaceful life..." Ruan Lan started, but she cut herself off when she saw Xu Lai's expression darken. She coughed and quickly changed the subject. "Brother-in-law, you come to the Go Club and teach us a few killer moves, and I'll tell you every secret I know."

"Deal!" Xu Lai agreed.

"Hehehe, let's go, then." A sly glint flashed in Ruan Lan's eyes. Without giving Xu Lai a moment to reconsider or back out, she grabbed his arm and pulled him straight toward the Go Club.

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